To all the nursing mothers in Missoula-the Mothers’ Milk Bank of Montana is critically low on donor milk. Currently our demand for milk exceeds our supply. We are looking for mothers who have extra milk that could be used to help premature and sick infants thrive.
Women who are qualified to donate their milk are healthy, non-smokers with an abundance of extra milk. We make the donation process as easy as possible for our donors.
New donors must complete the following steps in order to donate their milk:
- Complete a telephone interview
- Fill out a Donor application
- Sign consent forms from OB and Baby’s pediatrician
- Blood test
Breast milk is the most nutritious option for babies because it has a whole host of benefits for a baby that cannot be found in any other kind of milk. Human milk is especially critical for premature and sick infants because it provides easy digestibility, immunological benefits, and it protects against devastating intestinal infections like Necrotizing Entericolitis (NEC).
The Mothers’ Milk Bank of Montana (MMBMT) is a nonprofit organization that collects, screens, pasteurizes, and distributes human donor milk to infants with medical need who do not have access to their own mother’s milk. MMBMT is one of only 15 milk banks in North America and is the only milk bank in Montana and the first regional milk bank to serve hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) and individual recipients in Montana, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
The preterm birth rate in the United States is around 12.5%. In some cases, mothers of preterm babies have trouble producing and maintaining an adequate milk supply. The World Health Organization states that in cases where a mother’s own milk is not available, human donor milk (milk from another mother) is the next best option.
Linsey Wiessemann, Executive Director of the MMBMT, says “There is an ongoing need to ensure that all babies have access to human milk and milk banks help to fill that gap by making pasteurized donor milk available to babies that need it.”
To donate your milk, call the milk bank at 406-531-6789 and we can get you started on the process.
For more information, or to learn how to donate your milk, time or money, visit our new website: Mothers’ Milk Bank of Montana.
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